Nested hollow-charge subsidiary projectiles

ABSTRACT

A hollow-charge subsidiary projectile for firing by means of a carrier projectile includes a subsidiary projectile body which contains a shaped charge. A detonator spacing tube is disposed at the front of the subsidiary projectile body and detonator case is located at the rear of the subsidiary projectile body. A hollow recess is defined at the forward end of the shaped charge and accommodates the rear end of an identical subsidiary projectile. This arrangement permits a plurality of nested subsidiary projectiles to be accommodated within a single carrier projectile.

United States Patent [1 1 Prochnow et al.

1 Oct. 1,1974

[ NESTED HOLLOW-CHARGE SUBSIDIARY PROJECTILES Inventors: .lurgenProchnow; Alfred Johannes,

both of Dusseldorf, Germany Assignee: Rheinmetall GmbH, Dusseldorf,

Germany 22 Filed: Aug. 29, 1973 21 Appl. No.: 392,619

Primary ExaminerVerlin R. Pendegrass Attorney, Agent, orFirm-Williamson, Bains & Moore [5 7] v ABSTRACT A hollow-chargesubsidiary projectile for firing by means of a carrier projectileincludes a subsidiary prol l Foreign Application y Data jectile bodywhich contains a shaped charge. A deto- Aug. 31, 1972 Germany 2242930nator spacing tube is disposed at the front of the subsidiary projectilebody and detonator case is located at [52] US. Cl. 102/56, l02/7.'2,102/241-1C the rear of the subsidiary projectile body. A hollow re- [51]Int. Cl F02k 1/08 cess is defined at the forward end of the shaped [58]Field of Search 102/7.2, 24 HC, 56 charge and accommodates the rear endof an identical subsidiary projectile. This arrangement permits a plu-[56] References Cited rality of nested subsidiary projectiles to beaccommo- UNITED STATES PATENTS dated within a single carrier projectile.

2,837,996 6/1958 Klotz 102/24 HC 7 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures NESTEDHOLLOW-CHARGE SUBSIDIARY PROJ EC TILES BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe invention concerns hollow-charge subsidiary projectiles which can befired by means of a carrier projectile.

As is known, a hollow-charge projectile may consist of a projectile bodycontaining a shaped charge retained by a typically conical insert, adetonator spacing tube being fitted at the forward end of the body and adetonator case being fitted at the rearward end. The detonator spacingtube causes detonation to occur at the correct distance of the insertfrom the target, and this tube is therefore of a specific length. Sincehollowcharge projectiles should, as far as possible, be prevented fromspinning, they are often provided with stabilizing vanes. The carrierprojectiles may be fired with or without spin.

In order to increase the likelihood of a hit when firing at armouredtargets on the ground, carrier projectiles containing a number ofhollow-charge projectiles are fired. At a certain distance from thetarget the subsidiary projectiles are ejected from the carrierprojectile, for example by detonating a charge contained in the carrierprojectile, whereupon the detonators of the subsidiary projectilesbecome live. These subsidiary projectiles then continue to travel withina certain zone of scatter and detonate individually upon impact.

It is desirable to accommodate as many subsidiary projectiles aspossible in a carrier projectile of given dimensions. For this reasonefforts have been made to reduce the diameters of the subsidiaryprojectiles to a minimum by providing them with stabilizing vanes thatcan be folded inwards so that the projectiles can be packed tightlytogether in the radial direction.

The object of the present invention is to further improve utilization ofthe space within a carrier projectile.

According to the invention a hollow-charge subsidiary projectile forfiring by means of a carrier projectile consists of a body whichcontains a shaped charge and at the front end of which is disposed adetonator spacing tube and at the rear end of which is a detonator casehaving stabilizing vanes which can be'folded inwards, wherein the spacedirectly in front of the charge is so shaped and dimensioned that it canaccommodate at least a part of the rear end of a further subsidiaryprojectile of like shape. Thus, the subsidiary projectiles can be nestedone within the other since the space that is defined by the front of thecharge can be used for accommodating a part of the rear of an adjacentsubsidiary projectile. The greater the number of subsidiary projectilesthat are placed one behind the other, the greater is the saving inspace; if the length of the projectiles before insertion is n, then whenx subsidiary projectiles are placed one behind the other, the maximumsaving in space in the longitudinal direction will be n+ (x-l). (rt-a),where a is that portion of the projectile that is accommodated in theprojectile to its rear.

For the purpose of enabling the projectiles to be nested one within theother, the inside diameter of the substantially cylindrical detonatorspacing tube which is open at the front is made greater than the outsidediameter of the projectile body and of the detonator case with theinwardly folded stabilizing vanes.

To enable the subsidiary projectiles to be firmly held and supported inthe carrier projectile and to be ejected in a reliable manner, each ofthe subsidiary projectiles preferably has a shoulder at its forward endagainst which a rear shoulder of the next projectile bears. As will beexplained later, this arrangement can be achieved by means of variousconstructions.

However, the arrangement may be such that the detonator spacing tube isslidable telescopically over the projectile body against a spring force,and the subsidiary projectiles in the carrier projectile bear againsteach other by the front and rear edges of their bodies. This arrangementis particularly advantageous when there are only a few subsidiaryprojectiles disposed one behind the other, since the foremost projectilecan be fitted in the telescoped condition and a further saving in spaceis effected. The spring force is preferably applied by a helical springwithin the front part of the projectile body, the inside diameter of thespring being greater than the greatest outside dimension of thedetonator case with the stabilizing vanes folded inwards. It may then benecessary to provide a guide channel in the detonator spacing tube whichengages a guide projection on the projectile body and subsidiaryprojectile is extended in the correct manner. Such guide channel is inthe majority of cases, desirable since after the subsidiary projectileshave been ejected, a greater deflection from their previous path offlight and thus an increased scatter effect is achieved as a result ofaerodynamic effects at the channel. It will be appreciated that achannel or other feature serving this aerodynamic purpose can also beprovided when other forms of subsidiary projectile are used.

FIGURES OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view ofone embodiment of the hollow-charge subsidiary projectile;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 1, butshowing modified form of the hollowcharge subsidiary projectile; and

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 1, butshowing still another modification of the hollow-charge subsidiaryprojectile.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The hollow-charge subsidiaryprojectile shown in FIG. 1 has a body 1 with a hollow charge 2accommodated therein, an insert 3 being fitted forwardly of the charge.Secured at the rear end of the projectile body 1 is a detonator case 4which contains a detonator, not shown in detail, and on the exterior ofwhich are fitted hinged stabilizing vanes 5.

Disposed at the forward end of the projectile body 1 is a substantiallycylindrical detonator spacing tube 6a which is open at the front and theinside diameter of which is greaterthan the outside diameter of theprojectile body 1 and of the detonator4 when the stabilizing vanes 5 onthe case of the latter are folded inwards. To make these relationshipsclear, a further subsidiary projectile is shown in dot-and-dash lines infront of the above-mentioned subsidiary projectile, the rearward end ofthis second subsidiary projectile being accommodated within thedetonator spacing tube 6a, and the detonator of said second projectileprojecting into the projectile body 1 so that it lies close in front ofthe insert 3. It will also be seen that the detonator spacing tube has,near its rearward end an internally shouldered rim 7, and that thelength by which the detonator spacing tube 6a extends over theprojectile body 1 is such that the internally shouldered rim 7 of thenext subsidiary projectile can bear on the forward edge of detonatorspacing tube 6a; it will be understood that the detonator spacing tube6a must be rigidly secured to the projectile body 1 and should also besufficiently stable to enable the forces due to inertia to betransmitted to the next subsidiary projectile when a first projectile isfired and ejected from the carrier projectile.

The subsidiary projectile illustrated in FIG.- 2 also comprises a body Iwith a hollow charge 2 and insert 3, and a detonator case 4 andstabilizing vanes 5. The projecting body is here provided with a collor8 against which bears a thin-walled detonator spacing tube 6b. In thisembodiment however, each of the subsidiary projectiles is supported byan internally shouldered rim 10 at the rear end of the projectile body1, and each such rim can be supported on the front edge 11 of thesubsidiary projectile disposed rearwardly thereof.

For this reason, it is not necessary for the detonator spacing tube 6bto be of particularly stable form since it does not transmit theejection force, and thus a certain saving in weigh can be achieved.

The arrangement seen in FIG. 3 is based on a somewhat differentprinciple. In the inserted condition as illustrated, the detonatorspacing tube 60 is slidable telescopically over the outer periphery ofthe projectile body 1 which, as in the embodiments shown in FIGS.

l and 2, contains a hollow charge 2 and insert 3, and

position after tlTe subsidiary projectiles have 55am ejected from thecarrier projectile. The helical spring 12 is so dimensioned that itsinside diameter is greater than the outside diameter of the detonatorcase 4 including the inwardly folded stabilizing vanes 5, as shown inbroken outline in FIG. 3.

The detonator spacing tube 6c is provided with two elongated slots. Slot13 extends axially along tube 60 and has at the lower end an end portion(not shown in the drawing) which extends tagentially with respect totube 60. The other slot has no reference numeral but is shown in solidlines at the end of spacing tube 60 adjacent the next projectile, shownin dash-dotted lines. This latter slot extends helically about spacingtube 6c and is provided with a similar tangential end portion at itslower end (not shown in the drawing).

The ends of spring 12 are both bent outwardly. One end extends throughbody 1 where it is fixed and into slot 13; it acts as a guide memberduring the forward torque-biased; its free end projection extends intothe other slot and may exert a rotational movement upon release once theprojectiles separate. Said rotational What is claimed is:

l. A hollow-charge subsidiary projectile for firing by means of acarrier projectile, the subsidiary projectile consisting of a body whichcontains a shaped charge and at the front end of which is disposed adetonator spacing tube and at the rear end of which is a detonator casehaving stabilizing vanes which can be folded inwards, wherein the spacedirectly in front of the charge is so shaped and dimensioned that it canaccommodate at least a part of the rear end of a further subsidiaryprojectile of like shape.

2. A subsidiary projectile according to claim 1, wherein the insidediameter of the detonator spacing tube, which is open at the front, isgreater than the outside diameter of the projectile body and of thedetonator case with the stabilizing vanes folded inwards.

3. A subsidiary projectile according to claim 2, wherein the detonatorspacing tube is rigidly connected to the projectile body, extends overthe projectile body at that of its ends presented to the charge, and isadapted to be supported by the forward edge of a similar detonatorspacing tube of a further subsidiary projectile disposed to its rear.

4. A subsidiary projectile according to claim 2, wherein the projectilebody is rigidly connected to the detonator spacing tube and has at thatend adjacent to the detonator a rim adapted to be supported on theforward edge of the body of a similar subsidiary projectile disposed toits rear.

5. A subsidiary projectile according to claim 2, wherein the detonatorspacing tube can be pushed telescopically over the projectile bodyagainst a spring force, and the projectile bodyis adapted to besupported on the forward edge of the body of a similar subsidiaryprojectile.

' 6. A subsidiary projectile according to claim 5, wherein a helicalspring is fitted in the forward portion of the projectile body, theinside diameter of the spring being greater than the greatest outsidedimension of the detonator case with the stabilizing vanes foldedinwards.

7. A subsidiary projectile according to claim 5, wherein there is aguide channel in the detonator spacing tube and a cooperating guideprojection on the projectile body for guiding movement of the detonatormovement of spacing tube 6c. In the embodiment of 0 spacing tuberelative to the projectile body.

FIG. 3, spring 12 is not a compression spring, but

1. A hollow-charge subsidiary projectile for firing by means of acarrier projectile, the subsidiary projectile consisting of a body whichcontains a shaped charge and at the front end of which is disposed adetonator spacing tube and at the rear end of which is a detonator casehaving stabilizing vanes which can be folded inwards, wherein the spacedirectly in front of the charge is so shaped and dimensioned that it canaccommodate at least a part of the rear end of a further subsidiaryprojectile of like shape.
 2. A subsidiary projectile according to claim1, wherein the inside diameter of the detonator spacing tube, which isopen at the front, is greater than the outside diameter of theprojectile body and of the detonator case with the stabilizing vanesfolded inwards.
 3. A subsidiary projectile according to claim 2, whereinthe detonator spacing tube is rigidly connected to the projectile body,extends over the projectile body at that of its ends presented to thecharge, and is adapted to be supported by the forward edge of a similardetonator spacing tube of a further subsidiary projectile disposed toits rear.
 4. A subsidiary projectile according to claim 2, wherein theprojectile body is rigidly connected to the detonator spacing tube andhas at that end adjacent to the detonator a rim adapted to be supportedon the forward edge of the body of a similar subsidiary projectiledisposed to its rear.
 5. A subsidiary projectile according to claim 2,wherein the detonator spacing tube can be pushed telescopically over theprojectile body against a spring force, and the projectile body isadapted to be supported on the forward edge of the body of a similarsubsidiary projectile.
 6. A subsidiary projectile according to claim 5,wherein a helical spring is fitted in the forward portion of theprojectile body, the inside diameter of the spring being greater thanthe greatest outside dimension of the detonator case with thestabilizing vanes folded inwards.
 7. A subsidiary projectile accordingto claim 5, wherein there is a guide channel in the detonator spacingtube and a cooperating guide projection on the projectile body forguiding movement of the detonator spacing tube relative to theprojectile body.